That is exactly what I was going to ask. Is there any difference between the two? They look identical according to what my dictionary says: "If you bringsomeone or something along, you bring them with you when you come to a place".

Second, where do we usually put a noun: after "bring along" or between "bring" and "along"?

My dictionary gives the following examples

1) They brought along Laura Jane in a pram
2) Dad brought a notebook along to the beach, in case he was seized by sudden inspiration

If I am the boss and I say to one of my employees "bring me a pencil" I am not implying that I want to see them, only that I want a pencil. If I say "Come to my office and bring along a pencil" I mean that I want to see the employee in my office and I want that employee to bring a pencil when he or she comes. The pencil may be for the employee or for me.

For another example, if I say "Get the Williams file and bring our visitor to my office" I mean "Pick up the file folder for client/case for Williams and escort our visitor to my office". It doesn't mean that you should plan to stay after escorting the visitor. I want the visitor and the folder. If I say "Get the Williams file and bring our visitor along to my office" it implies that I want to see you, the folder and the visitor in my office.

If I am the boss and I say to one of my employees "bring me a pencil" I am not implying that I want to see them, only that I want a pencil. If I say "Come to my office and bring along a pencil" I mean that I want to see the employee in my office and I want that employee to bring a pencil when he or she comes. The pencil may be for the employee or for me.

For another example, if I say "Get the Williams file and bring our visitor to my office" I mean "Pick up the file folder for client/case for Williams and escort our visitor to my office". It doesn't mean that you should plan to stay after escorting the visitor. I want the visitor and the folder. If I say "Get the Williams file and bring our visitor along to my office" it implies that I want to see you, the folder and the visitor in my office.

I don't have an answer for that one. Some phrasal verbs seem to handle being split up better than others. To me, "bring along" can be split up without causing problems. I could just as easily say or write "They brought Laura Jane along in a pram" as "They brought along Laura Jane in a pram". (In fact, the first one sounds betters to me.)

I agree with JamesM - I would say that in your examples, 'They brought along Laura Jane' and 'They brought Laura Jane along' are interchangeable.
However, that this isn't always the case. For example, 'When I come to visit you, I'll bring him along' sounds OK whereas 'When I come to visit you, I'll bring along him' definitely doesn't!
I'm afraid that I can't give you an answer as to why, either

I don't think I would use "bring along".
It seems rather unnecessary.
How could I bring the umbrella otherwise?
In this context, it does not seem to me to be a "phrasal verb". The meaning is quite clear from the standard definitions of bring and along.

There is, of course, a quite different phrasal verb "bring along".Meaning: Help someone improveExample: Her coach has BROUGHT her ALONG a lot in the last six months.
This may also be used with anything that one cares for and nurtures - such as onions.

I agree with JamesM - I would say that in your examples, 'They brought along Laura Jane' and 'They brought Laura Jane along' are interchangeable.
However, that this isn't always the case. For example, 'When I come to visit you, I'll bring him along' sounds OK whereas 'When I come to visit you, I'll bring along him' definitely doesn't!
I'm afraid that I can't give you an answer as to why, either

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Thanks, Bevj! I know the example with "him" would be wrong if I placed "him" at the end of the phrase rather than in between. That is different. "Him" is pronoun like "her" or "their", for instance, and the location of a pronoun does not cause any questions.

I have heard that there are phrasal verbs of two different kinds. The first one allows us to split them into two parts and insert a noun in the middle like we have done in the phrase "... bring someone along ...". The second one makes us join two parts together and put a noun only after a verb. However, I did not know that there are verbs that can be used in BOTH patterns at the same time. That is new for me!

Well, they could be interchangeable in some contexts. In other contexts, the "along" would indicate that the laptop was his and he brought it in order to use it. It would help to have a little more background of the imagined situation.

If I am the boss and I say to one of my employees "bring me a pencil" I am not implying that I want to see them, only that I want a pencil. If I say "Come to my office and bring along a pencil" I mean that I want to see the employee in my office and I want that employee to bring a pencil when he or she comes. The pencil may be for the employee or for me.

For another example, if I say "Get the Williams file and bring our visitor to my office" I mean "Pick up the file folder for client/case for Williams and escort our visitor to my office". It doesn't mean that you should plan to stay after escorting the visitor. I want the visitor and the folder. If I say "Get the Williams file and bring our visitor along to my office" it implies that I want to see you, the folder and the visitor in my office.

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I see that this post dates back to 2006. Still I would like to thank you, James, for this perceptive and helpful explanation!

I would read it as "Google Glass update includes with it Android 4.4 and more". Another way to look at it would be "Google Glass update is accompanied by Android 4.4 and more", but the "and more" sounds a bit odd to me in that context.

I would read it as "Google Glass update includes with it Android 4.4 and more". Another way to look at it would be "Google Glass update is accompanied by Android 4.4 and more", but the "and more" sounds a bit odd to me in that context.